2016 has been a singular year. I appreciate that it's been rubbish for many, but I can't revile it because personally it has brought me great happiness. I have seen some of the greatest beauty this world has to offer. I've seen ugliness too, but the beauty has come close while the ugliness has not - quite. 2016 has been a year of re-thinking truth and lies, stupidity and lucidity. A profound time.

I got married,and it was wonderful. I went to Botswana and found so much joy it felt as though the sun had made its home in my heart. Will I ever see anywhere more beautiful than Africa teeming with life and love? Hard to believe. Only larians' eyes shining as we spoke our vows could make me smile like this.

All my year has been coloured by these two events. Little England's imps have not touched me though they have been nearby, some twitching little horns at me, begging me not to place them alongside the demons they have inadvertently strengthened. The Brexit referendum brought out the worst in my countrymen, from the silly to the murderous Every old ghost of racism I recalled from my childhood found new form, and everything I was taught to consider 'good', was dismissed; Knowledge, tolerance, expertise, disinterested analysis, compassion, generosity, diversity,intelligence, openness, honesty, responsibility,accountability, humanity...

In 1624, John Donne, poet and Dean of St Pauls, wrote:"No man is an iland intire of itselfe; every man is a peece of the Continent, a part of the maine; if a Clod bee washed away by the Sea, Europe is the lesse, as well as if a Promontorie were, as well as if a Manor of thy friends or of thine own were; any mans death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankinde; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee."

In 2016, our PM declared:'If you believe you are a citizen of the world, you're a citizen of nowhere.'

Watch closely and you can actually see the soul of a people shrink...

But it is not the only ending,it's not even the only story.

As I said, though it irritated and distressed me, the real rubbish never touched me. Family members, friends, and pets died this year, work was slow because of ill health. A lot of faith peeled off, but a lot of fun was had too. Good friends and good times were everywhere. Dreams died this year. We'll have to create some new ones and protect beautiful reality.